


Sing a little song for me

by kayleeschuyler (stephaniebithell)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Singer AU, i killed my beta with the amount of fluff, keith is a song writer, klance, lance is a singer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 15:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13250766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephaniebithell/pseuds/kayleeschuyler
Summary: Keith is a song writer who is working on the latest album for the upcoming star Lance McClain.  Everything seems to be going well but there is just something missing from their current song that won't leave Keith alone.





	Sing a little song for me

Keith closed his eyes as he listened to the music that was echoing around the room.  The soft, sultry voice crooned the lyrics that he had written a few weeks prior.  He was proud of the work he had done, the lyrics meshed well, the notes melted into each other and he knew this would be a hit.  It probably didn’t hurt that the singer has the voice of an angel and had the ability to entrance everyone who listened.  Glancing around the room, Keith watched as everyone who was present in the recording booth sat there, smiling as they listened to the playback.

 

_Sweet dreams til sunbeams find you,_

_Sweet dreams that leave all worried behind you,_

_But in your dreams whatever they be,_

_Dream a little dream of me._

 

The effect was instantaneous.  The entire room sighed in unison, Keith included, as the singers voice finished the last line of the chorus.  Keith had never felt this strongly for a specific song before but there was something about this one that made his heart leap.  Sure, he was known for writing amazing love songs, but there was just something about this one that made it special.  It could have been the performer sure, they were amazing, but Keith had worked with them before and while he had felt more comfortable working with them over other artists it had never felt like this.  Maybe it was the fact that for this album he had ended up working with the best of the best in the industry.  The best label, the best producer, the best band, the best singer.  And Keith. 

 

It had been a long struggle to get where he was today.  He had started writing his own songs when he was a child back in foster care.  It had been his release, his one thing that was his and that no-one could take away from him.  All he needed was a pen, paper and his mind and he could write dozens of songs, mostly heartbreaking ones about loss and suffering, that pulled the heartstrings of all his foster parents.  It wasn’t until he was adopted at the age of 9 that he started to write some happier music.  His new parents had explained that it was because his muse had finally had something good happen to them.  When Keith had asked who his muse was, his mum had just smiled and suggested that maybe he needed to discover that for himself.  Being a musician herself, Keith had bonded with his new mum in a way that he never thought possible.  She would help him with his music, teaching him how to play the guitar and keyboard so that he could get to feel how the musicians did when they played his music.  She had performed each and every one of his songs, no matter how good or bad they were and even used them in her band from time to time.

 

That had been over a decade and a half ago and Keith still struggled to find the answer to his mum’s cryptic suggestion.  He had thought he had found his muse dozens of times, a girl in his class in primary school, a guy on the football team in high school when he had realised that he was more into guys than girls, the barista at his local coffee shop two years ago.  Yet none of them had truly managed to bring out the feeling of serenity that he had come to realise this song had given him when he wrote it.  The instant that Keith had made that realisation he had called his mother, scrambling over his words to ask her if this is what she had meant.  She had chuckled at her sons flustered state and said yes.  This is what it felt like to have a true muse.  Someone or something that inspired him to write the best he could.  Someone or something that could give him that spark to be the artist that she knew he had been all along.

 

Keith frowned slightly, as he listened more intently to the song.  There was something not quiet right, something missing from the performance.  Everything had seemed perfect when they were recorded separately, the instrumentals were spot on, the vocals seemed faultless and yet when the producer had put them together there was something in the back of Keith’s mind that told him that it wasn’t right.  Standing up, Keith made his way over to the sound station trying to be subtle as he checked all the switches and buttons over the producer’s shoulder.  No, it wasn’t because there was something not right there, so what could it be?

 

“Keith?  Everything ok?”  The producer, Shiro, asked him as he noticed what Keith was doing.

 

“I don’t know.  It seems like it should all be right but…”

 

“But it doesn’t,” Shiro finished.  They had worked together in the past and Keith had come to see Shiro as an older brother figure.  The guy had the innate ability to know exactly what Keith was thinking when even Keith was struggling to explain it.  They had managed to produce a dozen songs together, all of them chart toppers and Keith was glad to have Shiro on his team again.

 

Shaking his head Keith hummed.  “I can’t place it but there is something missing.”

 

“Is it the drums?” Hunk asked as he got up from where he was sitting on the couch, his drum sticks loose in one hand.

 

“Or the keyboard?” Pidge suggested as she sat on the counter.

 

“Perhaps the timing is out?” The label’s representative Allura said as she looked over at her assistant Coran for any suggestions.

 

“Well I know it isn’t my voice,” Lance said as he stood in the soundproof booth.  The large headphones were wrapped around his neck and as he smirked through the glass separating them Keith relaxed slightly.

 

“Sure, Lance keep telling yourself that,” Pidge said. 

 

Keith chuckled at the way Lance pouted at Pidge’s comeback.  Lance McClain was undoubtedly one of the best singers in the country and they all knew that.  Lance included.  He had everything an up and coming star needed; the record breaking voice (he had already won nine awards in the past two years since he had broken out into the industry), the dashing good looks (those long tanned limbs, stylishly ruffled hair, piercing blue eyes and that megawatt smile should be illegal) and the ego to match it all.  And through it all, Keith was still wondering how he had managed to snag Lance as his boyfriend.  They had met through Shiro a year prior when he tried to set them up to work on Lance’s next album.  Admittedly, they had gotten off to a rough start, both knowing they were the best at what they did and not wanting to have someone else tell them how to do their job, but after a couple of weeks things had settled down. 

 

Keith had grown to realise that Lance did know how to sing, not just being able to hit the notes that were written on the page, but to _sing_ the song given to him.  He had the ability to take the lyrics and make them his own.  To make you feel like he was singing to you and only you.  Lance admitted later that he had been jealous of Keith’s ability to write such amazing songs at the drop of a hat.  He had tried his hand at song writing but no one had wanted anything but his voice.  Keith surprised himself but offering to help teach Lance who to write songs if Lance could teach him to sing a little.  Keith had always admired his mother for her ability to sing and had never had the courage to ask her, but he felt like Lance might not make as much fun of him for his lack of singing ability that some of the others.  When Lance agreed Keith smiled, maybe this arrangement wasn’t so bad after all. 

 

They grew closer together as they worked daily on the music for the album.  Taking breaks periodically to stretch and teach the other as they had promised.  A few weeks into their project they had gone on their first date.  It wasn’t anything spectacular or flashy.  Just a simple diner on the same block as the studio but it had felt different to all the other times they had gone to get food.  Keith realised now, that it had been because Lance had held his hand the entire meal while wearing a soft smile on his face.  By the end of the dinner Keith knew that he had feelings for Lance, but it still took him another month before Lance confessed to him.  Turns out, they had both been pinning idiots for each other and had wasted an entire month of kissing and cuddling. 

 

“So, what do you think Keith?” Shiro asked.  “What is it that is missing?”

 

Frowning again, Keith tried to place what it was that had been bugging him.  “I… I don’t know.  It’s just _something_ doesn’t feel right.”

 

“Hey pretty boy,” Lance called through the speaker, “Why don’t you get your but in here for a second.”

 

Confused, Keith looked over at his boyfriend, “What?  Why?”

 

“Because I have an idea that might help.  Now get in here already.”

 

Ignoring the other’s not so subtle chuckles and Pidge’s whip cracking sound, Keith walked into the soundproof booth to stand in front of Lance.  “Ok.  I’m here now what?”

 

“Put these on,” Lance said as he passed Keith the spare set of headphones.

 

“Lance?  What?”

 

“Shush.  Now you try singing it.”

 

Keith froze, sure he could and would sing with Lance when they were at home but to sing in front of their team?  Nope.  Not happening.  No way.  Nada. 

 

“Keith, look at me,” Lance said as he put his hands on Keith’s cheeks.  “Just relax ok.  Just pretend we are at home, the room is soundproof, you can’t hear them and if you close your eyes you won’t be able to see them either.  Trust me.  This will work.”

 

Keith felt his heart seize again as he nodded and put the headphones on.  He trusted Lance, he knew that Lance would never make him embarrass himself like this, especially not in front of the label and producer.  Taking a deep breath, he nodded, knowing that Shiro was watching him and would start the playback.  Keith listened to the instrumental intro, waiting for the moment where the lyrics came in and started to sing.

 

He was surprised to feel lighter as he sung, something about the way the music lifted him up and let him float on air.  He had never felt so free as he did now.  Deciding that it was his time to try and prove that he could do this, that Lance’s faith in him wasn’t misplaced, he poured his soul into the song.  When the chorus hit he was startled to hear Lance join him, their voices harmonizing perfectly, just like they did back home.  He let Lance take the next verse and then joined in again at the bridge, their performance synchronised even though they had never practiced or discussed how they would do this. 

 

As the sound of the last note faded away Keith finally opened his eyes and slid the headphones off his ears.  The first thing he saw was Lance’s beaming face.  He was smiling so much that Keith was starting to get concerned that his face might break.  When he realised that he hadn’t heard any of the others on the other side of the glass he started to worry.  Shiro had a habit of always making a comment after each take, either to give praise, make a suggestion for improvement or just to do something to break the silence that usually hung afterwards.  But this time, it had been over a minute since Lance and he had stopped and still nothing.  Not even Pidge or Hunk making a friend jest at his performance.  Taking a calming breath, Keith braced himself to look at the others and froze when he saw them.

 

Everyone who had been on the other size of the glass was still, their mouths open in either shock or awe and not a single sound was being made.

 

“Guys?”  Keith said quietly as he waited for someone to say something.

 

As if Keith’s voice had been the catalyst, the room exploded.  Shiro’s hand slammed onto the button that opened the intercom and the booth was awash with noise.

 

“Holy f-“

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“Since when could he?”

 

How come you never-“

 

Next to him, Lance laughed.  “See what did I say?  You were amazing babe.”

 

“Was I actually that good?”

 

“Keith!” Allura said suddenly, slamming her hands down on the control panel.  “Why did you never tell me you could sing like that?”

 

Looking at her Keith shrugged, “I don’t know.  I never thought I was good enough.  I mean, I’m nowhere as good as Lance but…”

 

“Bip, bip, bip.  You know what I think about you comparing us Keith,” Lance said interrupting him.  “I’ll admit you were a bit rusty when we first started working together but you have the voice of an angel and now everyone else knows that too.”

 

“But-“

 

“Lance is right Keith,” Shiro said from where he sat.  “You really can sing and when you add Lance’s vocals on top of it… Holy hell, that was incredible.”

 

“Get your buts out here so we can show you the playback and you can hear for yourself,” Coran said from where he was helping Pidge keep Hunk from falling over in shock.

 

Lance and Keith left the booth and took a seat on the couch and listened as Shiro hit the full playback.  Keith had to admit that he did sound pretty good and his heart leapt when Lance’s vocals joined in.  Even though it was a soft, love ballad, you could hear where they both competed for control of the song, yet it worked.  Having that second vocal really brought the emotion out and made it sound like they were singing too each other not them both singing to the audience.  It wasn’t until the song finished that Keith realised two things.  One; this was the missing piece.  This was the thing that they had needed to push the song to the next level.  Two; Keith had finally realised who his muse was.  Himself.  He had started to think that it was Lance who had inspired him, but Lance was just the one who helped Keith move from each level.  Keith was the one that took the leap of faith and landed with both feet firmly on the ground.

 

“It’s perfect.” Keith said with a smile.

 

All around the room, everyone was smiling and laughing, patting each other on the back in celebration of another song well done.  There would still be a few more days of fine tuning, adjusting the sound levels and adding in backup vocals and sounds but most of the work had been completed. 

 

“Hey Allura,” Lance said over the din, “Do you reckon I could have Keith sing with me more?  I’m thinking of naming the album Klancified.”

 

“Sure, if he wants to.  But why Klancified?”

 

“Because we’ve always made the joke that our relationship has been classified since _someone_ never really wanted to go public and our celebrity shipping name would be Klance.  So, mix them together and you get Klancified.”

 

Keith chuckled softly at Lance’s train of thought but then realised what he had just suggested.  Lance wanted to not only write the album together but have Keith _sing_ with him as well.  He was about to reject the idea when he remembered a piece of advice his mother had told him years ago.  To always have the courage to push through and do what made him happy.  Singing with Lance always made him happy and from the reactions they had just gotten, it made other people happy as well.

 

“Sure I can sing a little but I always thought our name would be Laith.”

 

Lance spluttered, “Keith!  Klance is so much better!  Why would you betray me like that?”

 

Yeah, Keith could get used to this.

 

_Dream a little dream of me._

 

__

**Author's Note:**

> A massive thank you to UltiMal who created this masterpiece based on the story.
> 
> https://ulti-mal.tumblr.com


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